Articleshttp://news.usm.edu/articles/Research
enDufrene Recipient of Prestigious Mentor Awardhttp://news.usm.edu/article/dufrene-recipient-prestigious-mentor-award
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<a href="/author/david-tisdale">David Tisdale</a> </div>
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<p>A University of Southern Mississippi faculty member has again been recognized for excellence in student mentoring.</p>
<p>Dr. Brad Dufrene, professor of psychology and director of the School Psychology Service Center at Southern Miss, has earned the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS). The award acknowledges and honors faculty members for outstanding success in mentorship of graduate students through excellent guidance, modeling of integrity and ethical behavior, and preparation for personal and professional success.</p>
<p>The award comes with a $1,000 stipend and coverage of travel expenses to the CSGS annual conference Feb. 22-25 in Fayetteville, Ark, where Dufrene will be presented with the honor. He was nominated for the recognition by USM Graduate School Dean Dr. Karen Coats.</p>
<p>Dufrene also received USM&rsquo;s Faculty Mentor of the Year award in 2017.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The most rewarding aspect of my job is mentoring doctoral students in psychology, and observing their professional and personal development over several years and across their careers,&rdquo; Dufrene said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m incredibly proud to have been nominated by former and current students, and to have their letters of recommendation play a large role in me receiving this award.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Dr. Zachary Labrot, a 2017 graduate of USM&rsquo;s school psychology doctoral program, said Dr. Dufrene continues to support him as his career develops. Dr. Labrot is currently a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Nebraska Medical Center&#39;s Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, and will continue there in its Department of Psychology as an assistant professor of behavioral pediatric psychology.</p>
<p>Dr. Labrot&rsquo;s collaboration with Dr. Dufrene continues, as they work together writing research articles and book chapters in the area of school psychology.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Dr. Dufrene tailored his supervision and teaching to match exactly what I wanted to pursue in a career,&rdquo; Dr. Labrot said. &ldquo;He helped me develop research, writing, and critical thinking skills. As I searched for jobs, he served as a diligent adviser and supporter, writing several letters of recommendation for me and offering invaluable advice. I wouldn&#39;t be where I am in my career without Dr. Dufrene.&rdquo;</p>
<p>For more information about Dufrene&rsquo;s work at USM, as well as the university&rsquo;s academic programs in psychology, visit <a href="https://www.usm.edu/psychology. " title="https://www.usm.edu/psychology. ">https://www.usm.edu/psychology. </a></p>
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AcademicsEducation and PsychologyGraduate SchoolFaculty and StaffResearchFri, 09 Feb 2018 21:29:27 +0000w30171716586 at http://news.usm.eduUSM Professor Testifies Before U.S. Senate on Future of Aquaculturehttp://news.usm.edu/article/usm-professor-testifies-us-senate-future-aquaculture
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<a href="/author/james-skrmetta">James Skrmetta</a> </div>
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<p>Dr. Kelly Lucas, Director of The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center, spoke in Washington recently on the importance of aquaculture in the United States.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The United States imports over 90% of our seafood and half the imports are aquaculture products,&rdquo; Lucas told the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. &ldquo;We have a $14 billion-dollar seafood trade deficit. With a growing demand for seafood and static wild capture fisheries since the 1990s, aquaculture must continue to grow to meet increasing demand.&rdquo;</p>
<p>U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) oversaw the hearing titled, &ldquo;Growing the Future: Opportunities to Support Domestic Seafood Through Aquaculture.&rdquo; The members examined the&nbsp;current state of aquaculture in the United States, future opportunities for offshore, coastal, and inland communities, and the potential impact on the economy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Domestic farming of seafood, done in a safe, well-monitored manner, can provide economic opportunities for all Americans, both for our coastal and inland communities, Thune said. &ldquo;Agricultural states like mine (South Dakota) can play an important role in providing feed for fish farms, and everyone benefits from having increased domestic seafood production.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture center in Ocean Springs, Miss. includes approximately 100,000 square feet of culture space devoted to environmentally responsible and economically feasible marine aquaculture. Lucas&rsquo; team&rsquo;s research focuses on alleviating the bottlenecks that constrain the production of marine species. Before arriving at USM&rsquo;s School of Ocean Science and Technology, Lucas was the chief scientific officer for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The University of Southern Mississippi is investing heavily in marine aquaculture. Our scientists are employing cutting-edge technology and the best research practices to grow fish in an environmentally responsible and economically feasible manner,&rdquo; said Gordon Cannon, Vice-President for Research. &ldquo;We are proud to have such experienced aquaculture researchers as Dr. Lucas and many others who have earned national and international reputations for their research and development of sustainable marine aquaculture technologies. This is just one example of Southern Miss&rsquo; involvement in shaping the economy of our state.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Sen. Thune said instead of continuing to buy seafood from a global market, which has seen repeated instances of labor and environmental violations, we should do a better job at home.</p>
<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Aquaculture is the fastest growing food industry in the world,&rdquo; Thune said.&nbsp;&ldquo;If encouraged in the United States, it has the potential to create jobs and boost the economy, from states like South Dakota, to the coasts.&nbsp;Let&rsquo;s harness this opportunity and become the world leader in safe and sustainable domestic seafood production.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Throughout Lucas&rsquo; testimony, she highlighted both opportunities and challenges the U.S. faces in growing domestic aquaculture. Challenges such as fish-feed production, net and cage technology, and continued research were presented to the committee.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I believe the time is now for the United States to become more self-reliant in the production of seafood,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;It was a privilege&nbsp;to testify before the Commerce Committee regarding exciting opportunities to increase production of US seafood.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To learn more about the Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center, call 228-872-4200 or visit: <a href="http://gcrl.usm.edu/cmac/index.php">http://gcrl.usm.edu/cmac/index.php</a></p>
AcademicsScience and TechnologyGulf CoastResearchFeaturedMon, 05 Feb 2018 14:51:43 +000016521 at http://news.usm.eduUSM Joins Consortium to Study Tuscaloosa Marine Shalehttp://news.usm.edu/article/usm-joins-consortium-study-tuscaloosa-marine-shale
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<a href="/author/van-arnold">Van Arnold</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi has joined a Department of Energy funded university consortium led by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette&nbsp;that will address knowledge gaps connected to the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS).</p>
<p>The goal of the three-year project is to enable more cost-efficient and environmentally sound recovery from this unconventional liquid-rich shale play. The Las Alamos National Lab, University of Oklahoma, and Missouri S&amp;T are also participants in the consortium.</p>
<p>The TMS has been estimated to contain seven billion barrels of recoverable light, sweet crude oil, while its current total average production is only about 3,000 barrels of oil per day. Development of the shale in eastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi could significantly impact local communities economically.</p>
<p>While the other universities in the consortium will focus on oil and gas extraction engineering issues, USM will examine socio-economic issues related to increased hydraulic fracturing. Issues to be examined include supply chain, the oil and gas severance tax, workforce training programs, and business assistance and diversification programs needed for this cyclical industry.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This is a great opportunity to combine our economic development expertise with some of nation&rsquo;s top petroleum engineering researchers to make a difference for southwest Mississippi,&rdquo; said Dr. Chad Miller, graduate coordinator of the Masters of Science of Economic Development program at USM. Miller will lead the USM research team housed within the University&rsquo;s College of Business.</p>
<p>Grants distributed to the consortium are part of an initiative by the Energy Department&rsquo;s Office of Fossil Energy to examine unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, such as the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale. The TMS covers eight million acres. It includes 28 parishes in central and south Louisiana, and several southwestern Mississippi counties.&nbsp;</p>
AcademicsEconomic DevelopmentBusinessCommunityResearchMon, 29 Jan 2018 15:33:10 +000016436 at http://news.usm.eduUniversity of Florida’s Chief of Police Receives Safety and Security ‘Champion of Change’ Awardhttp://news.usm.edu/article/university-florida-s-chief-police-receives-safety-and-security-champion-change-award
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<a href="/author/alison-crumpton">Alison Crumpton</a> </div>
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<p>University of Florida&rsquo;s Chief of Police Linda J. Stump-Kurnick was recently recognized during the National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Summit in Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 16, hosted by The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS<sup>4</sup>).</p>
<p>Stump-Kurnick received the inaugural 2018 &lsquo;Champion of Change&rsquo; Award, which recognizes an individual who has demonstrated their ability and&nbsp;commitment to bring about positive change in the sports safety and security industry.&nbsp;Through progressive leadership, this individual&rsquo;s achievements have made a difference to organizational effectiveness and led the organization forward into the future.</p>
<p>The &lsquo;Champion of Change&rsquo; Award&nbsp;is voted on annually by NCS<sup>4</sup>&rsquo;s National Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Committee.</p>
<p>&quot;I&#39;m honored to be the first winner of this national recognition,&quot; said Chief Stump. &quot;My ultimate priority is to the safety of the up to 90,000 fans who come to enjoy games at the on-campus stadium, and it is nice to be recognized as a leader in the sports security community.&quot;</p>
<p>Stump-Kurnick is the first female police chief at a state of Florida public university.&nbsp;A native of Lafayette, Indiana, Chief Stump holds a bachelor&#39;s degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections from Ball State University, a Master&#39;s Degree in Higher Education Administration from Purdue University, and is also a graduate from Florida and Indiana Law Enforcement Academies and the FBI National Academy.&nbsp;In addition, she is a graduate of the first Crisis Leadership in Higher Education course at Harvard University.</p>
<p>Under Chief Stump&rsquo;s helm, many new safety and security measures have been implemented. The university has a clear bag policy for the stadium events, requiring background screenings of all event personnel and enhancing perimeter protection by closing roadways around the stadium for police and emergency medical services use.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Chief Stump&rsquo;s contributions to the field have made an impact beyond her immediate role by challenging the status quo and inspiring meaningful change,&rdquo; said NCS4 Director Lou Marciani. &ldquo;We could not be prouder of her and the entire police department at the University of Florida on their achievements.&rdquo;</p>
<p>For more information about the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS<sup>4</sup>), visit <a href="http://www.ncs4.com">http://www.ncs4.com</a>.</p>
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AthleticsResearchTue, 23 Jan 2018 16:19:44 +000016401 at http://news.usm.eduGrant Helps USM Provides Tablets, Speakaboos App for Elementary Studentshttp://news.usm.edu/article/grant-helps-usm-provides-tablets-speakaboos-app-elementary-students
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<a href="/author/van-arnold">Van Arnold</a> </div>
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<p>O&rsquo;Rourke Elementary School Pre-K teacher Allison Peavy uses words like &ldquo;exciting,&rdquo; &ldquo;unbelievable&rdquo; and &ldquo;phenomenal&rdquo; to describe the unexpected receipt of Samsung tablets fitted with the multi-faceted Speakaboos app for her students.</p>
<p>The tablets were provided by The University of Southern Mississippi through a $900,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation. More than 700 students at four elementary schools in the Mobile (Ala.) County Public School System have received the tablets, which helps them learn concepts in language, mathematics, and science.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We are so thrilled to have tablets in the hands of all 18 students. It&rsquo;s really phenomenal,&rdquo; said Peavy. &ldquo;Children are so involved in technology now. Once we showed them how to get into it, they were able to manipulate it right away; choose what they wanted to do and where they wanted to go. One of our goals is to incorporate the Speakaboos app into our classroom lesson plans as the year progresses.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Three schools have been presented tablets thus far: O&rsquo;Rourke Elementary, Maryvale Elementary, and Morningside Elementary. Approximately 400 students at Just 4 Development Laboratory School received their tablets during a special ceremony today (Jan. 12).</p>
<p>Dr. Julie Cwikla, Director of Creativity &amp; Innovation in STEM at The University of Southern Mississippi, was instrumental in securing the three-year grant. She is working with Speakaboos, a widely used literacy app for children ages 2 to 6 based in New York City, to develop new math e-stories. With the tablets at their fingertips, the students have access to almost 300 e-stories.</p>
<p>Cwikla says the primary objective of the tablet program is to help teachers boost the performance of at-risk children before they fall behind.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Speakaboos reads to children or they can read the animated stories themselves providing differentiated learning opportunities for the different skill levels,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;In addition, there are many parents who are unable to read to their children daily for a variety of reasons. Some children will be able to bring this resource home and continue their learning on the weekends and over school breaks.&rdquo;</p>
<p>With prior support from the National Science Foundation, Cwikla and her Southern Miss team investigated early understanding of fractional concepts with children ages 3 to 6. Results demonstrated young learners&rsquo; ability to partition and fair-share in the context of story based word problems.</p>
<p>Mathematics and fractions are areas in which children struggle once they reach upper elementary school. These fraction stories and problems are used as the basis for new interactive and animated mathematics e-stories designed for young students.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Early development of both literacy skills and mathematical concepts are critical and predictive of long-term success,&rdquo; said Cwikla. &ldquo;The early years are sometimes overlooked, but by the age of 6 there is a huge range in children&rsquo;s vocabulary in any classroom.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Paula Reese spends much of her day monitoring elementary schools in southern Alabama for their compliance of Title 1 &ndash; a federal program designed to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.</p>
<p>Reese, School-Home-Community Programs Manager, Federal and Special Programs, says she was astonished to learn that so many students in the Mobile area would suddenly have access to the popular Speakaboos app.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I immediately just kind of went into shock mode especially when Julie said her goal was to place one tablet in each child&rsquo;s hand,&rdquo; said Reese. &ldquo;You can&rsquo;t put a price on what this means to the children who are benefitting from this program. Improving the literacy and math skills of young children is a primary goal of elementary schools everywhere, and the Speakaboo app will certainly enhance those efforts.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Cwikla is quick to point out that the grant initiative falls perfectly in line with USM&rsquo;s commitment to teaching, learning, and human development at all levels. She also takes personal pride in helping young students reach their full potential.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This is the kind of work I love to do where research, teaching and service all come together seamlessly,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;This is the mission of our University and these smiling faces are our country&rsquo;s future scholars and leaders.&rdquo;</p>
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AcademicsScience and TechnologyCommunityResearchFri, 12 Jan 2018 15:28:59 +000016341 at http://news.usm.eduAnestis to be honored for Research on Suicide at National Conference http://news.usm.edu/article/anestis-be-honored-research-suicide-national-conference
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<a href="/author/david-tisdale">David Tisdale</a> </div>
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<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong>The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) will honor University of Southern Mississippi associate professor of psychology Dr. Michael Anestis with its prestigious Shneidman Award at its 51<sup>st</sup> annual conference April 18-21 in Washington, D.C.</p>
<p>The Shneidman Award is presented to&nbsp;a person under 40 years of age, or not more than 10 years past their highest degree earned, who has made outstanding contributions in research in the field of suicidology. It is named in honor of the late Dr. Edwin S. Shneidman, a renowned clinical psychologist who founded AAS in 1968. &nbsp;</p>
<p>In announcing Dr. Anestis as its choice for the award, the AAS noted that &ldquo;Dr. Anestis&#39; trajectory as a researcher far outpaces&nbsp;his peers. Because of the quality and nature of his work, he is one of only a&nbsp;handful of current researchers who is likely to have a marked&nbsp;impact on the suicide prevention field.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Dr. Anestis joined the Southern Miss faculty in 2012 and is director of the USM Department of Psychology&rsquo;s Suicide and Emotion Dysregulation Laboratory. His research examines risk factors for suicidal behavior in both military and civilian populations, and correlations between suicide and firearms storage and safety. He has published 113 peer reviewed&nbsp;articles, including in such prominent journals as&nbsp;<em>Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior (</em>the AAS&rsquo;s peer-reviewed journal)<em>,</em> <em>American Journal of Public&nbsp;Health</em>, and <em>Journal of Abnormal Psychology</em>.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m grateful to both AAS and USM for their support of my work,&rdquo; Dr. Anestis said. &ldquo;More people die by suicide each year using a firearm than by all other methods combined, and yet only a tiny portion of our research on suicide focuses on firearms, and many health care providers avoid asking about firearm access and storage methods.</p>
<p>&ldquo;If my work and this recognition can help encourage others to openly discuss and research the role of firearms in suicide, I will consider that an enormous success.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The research conducted by Dr. Anestis and his graduate students is critically important, said Department of Psychology Chairman Dr. Joe Olmi.</p>
<p>&ldquo;There is no one more deserving of this award than Dr. Anestis,&rdquo; Dr. Olmi said. &ldquo;For him to be recognized in such a manner is highly appropriate. We&rsquo;re fortunate to have him in the Department of Psychology at USM.&rdquo;</p>
<p>For information about the Southern Miss Department of Psychology, visit <a href="https://www.usm.edu/psychology">https://www.usm.edu/psychology</a>.</p>
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AcademicsEducation and PsychologyFaculty and StaffResearchThu, 04 Jan 2018 17:59:32 +0000w30171716316 at http://news.usm.eduUSM Polymer Researcher Wins Prestigious Bell Labs Prizehttp://news.usm.edu/article/usm-polymer-researcher-wins-prestigious-bell-labs-prize
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<a href="/author/van-arnold">Van Arnold</a> </div>
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<p>Dr. Jason Azoulay, assistant professor in the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials at The University of Southern Mississippi, has been awarded a coveted research prize by the Nokia Bell Labs.</p>
<p>Azoulay shared the $50,000 second-place honor with his collaborator Dr. Tse Nga (Tina) Ng, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California at San Diego. Their research led to the invention of new photosensitive polymer materials that can be used for health and medical monitoring through-the-skin with wearable, thin, flexible devices.</p>
<p>Only three prizes were awarded in the annual competition that attracted more than 330 proposals from 35 countries, which were narrowed down to approximately&nbsp;20 semifinal applications shortlisted for collaboration with Bell Labs researchers over a two-month period. These refined semifinal proposals were then reviewed by the Bell Labs leadership team and the nine finalists selected, with each finalist having the chance to extend their collaboration with leading researchers at Bell Labs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;To receive this acknowledgement from such an esteemed panel of judges and an organization that I admire and respect so much is quite an honor,&rdquo; said Azoulay.</p>
<p>The nine finalist applications covered topics ranging from new approaches to machine learning, new materials synthesis, new human sensory technologies, new distributed computing paradigms, new battery technologies and new programmable radio and antenna technologies. The final judging event took place with a group of seven luminaries in the Science, Technology, Engineer and Math (STEM) field.</p>
<p>Dr. Jeff Wiggins, director of the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials, notes that in Azoulay&rsquo;s three years as part of the USM faculty he has already received numerous multi-million dollar research contracts while building a strong research alliance with researchers across the state.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Dr. Azoulay is a preeminent young scientist capable of leading the School and state to new levels of scholarly productivity and international recognition which are certain to have profound acknowledgement and prominence to the University,&rdquo; said Wiggins. &ldquo;I am extremely proud of his accomplishments, and look forward to facilitate his continued growth and scholarly success. I am certain this is just the beginning, and I am excited to see where Dr. Azoulay takes us next.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Through the collaborative research Azoulay and Ng developed new photosensitive polymers that operate in the short-wavelength infrared.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Broadly speaking, our materials fill a technological void as current semiconductor technologies that operate in this spectral region require complex fabrication and manufacturing protocols, are extremely expensive, and exhibit other characteristics that preclude their broad utility,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We subsequently demonstrated a health monitoring device that offers significant advantages when compared to current technologies such as deeper blood and tissue penetration, and fast and sensitive acquisition in a low-cost, thin, and wearable form factor.&rdquo;</p>
<p>To learn more about the Nokia Bell Labs competition, visit: <a href="https://www.bell-labs.com/">https://www.bell-labs.com/</a></p>
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AcademicsNews MakersScience and TechnologyFaculty and StaffResearchMon, 18 Dec 2017 16:15:40 +000016281 at http://news.usm.edu USM Grant Fosters Collaboration between Agriculture Economists, Political Scientistshttp://news.usm.edu/article/usm-grant-fosters-collaboration-between-agriculture-economists-political-scientists
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<p>Dr. Joseph Weinberg, assistant professor of political science at The University of Southern Mississippi, says that a grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture will help foster better communication and more collaborative research between agricultural economists and political scientists.</p>
<p>Under Weinberg&rsquo;s leadership, experts from both of those disciplines have been brought together to form the Agriculture Research Policy Group. He notes that it became apparent that such an exchange was necessary in order to improve scholarly research on agriculture policy and any subsequent policy recommendations.</p>
<p>&ldquo;For two disciplines working on (ostensibly) the same issues, there is very little communication between and among scholars,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Not surprisingly, U.S. and international agriculture policies are both inefficient and notoriously difficult to alter.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The one-year grant provided funding for an Agriculture Policy Research Conference held Oct. 13-15 in New Orleans. The conference attracted more than 20 participants from nations across the globe, including Australia, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Canada.</p>
<p>The conference enabled attendees to share viewpoints, generate new collaborative research, and improve the scholarly contributions to U.S. agricultural policy.</p>
<p>Weinberg notes that international trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and domestic legislation such as the omnibus &ldquo;Farm Bill&rdquo; have a tremendous, though not always clear, impact on all U.S. agricultural stakeholders.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Policy makers can benefit from academic research in these areas, but only if the economic and political realities of policy change are adequately addressed,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;By bringing together scholars with similar research agendas, we hope to improve the research output of both disciplines on matters of import to U.S. agriculture interests at home and abroad.&rdquo;</p>
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AcademicsArts and LettersResearchFri, 15 Dec 2017 19:31:54 +000016271 at http://news.usm.eduDrapeau Center Announces Eagle Wings, NCUR Competition Winners http://news.usm.edu/article/drapeau-center-announces-eagle-wings-ncur-competition-winners
<p>The Drapeau Center for Undergraduate Research at The University of Southern Mississippi recently named recipients of funding awards from the fall 2017 Eagle Wings and NCUR (National Conference on Undergraduate Research) competitions. The programs support undergraduates who will present the results of their scholarly activities at professional conferences.</p>
<p>The two Eagle Wings winners are Tori Hebert of Terrebone, La. and Cody Pope of Hattiesburg.&nbsp;Both are working with Dr. Kevin Kuehn in the Department of Biological Sciences, and will be giving papers at the Society for Freshwater Science in Detroit in May.&nbsp;Hebert&rsquo;s research examines plant litter decomposition and fungal decay processes, while Pope&rsquo;s looks at interactions among plant litter-associated microbial communities.&nbsp;The students conducted their investigations as part of Eagle SPUR (Scholars Program for Undergraduate Research).</p>
<p>The three students who will be attending NCUR in April at the University of Central Oklahoma are Hayley Allen of Smithdale, Miss., Gabriella Reyes of Slidell, La., and Henry Woodyard of Ellisville, Miss.&nbsp;</p>
<p>*Allen&rsquo;s presentation will share findings with synthesizing bioactive molecules that contain nitrogen rings, which provide scaffolds in many prescription drugs.&nbsp;She is a chemistry major working with Dr. Matt Donahue.&nbsp;</p>
<p>*Reyes is a Biological Sciences major studying with Dr. Glen Shearer.&nbsp;Her project investigates the stress response pathways that an infectious pathogen uses to survive in mammalian hosts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>*Woodyard is an economics major working with Dr. Ward Sayre, and his research explores the effects of the presence of private schools on the racial composition of local public schools.</p>
<p>Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Dr. Amy Miller congratulated all of the funding recipients.&nbsp;&quot;Student involvement in undergraduate research can dramatically impact student learning and long-term success,&rdquo; Dr. Miller said. &ldquo;We are so proud of the exceptional research done by our undergraduate students at Southern Miss, and are excited for them to have the opportunities to continue research and share their findings with others regionally and nationally.&quot;</p>
<p>For more information about the Drapeau Center for Undergraduate Research, visit <a href="https://www.usm.edu/research/center-overview">https://www.usm.edu/research/center-overview</a>.</p>
ResearchStudentsThu, 14 Dec 2017 20:50:38 +0000w30171716261 at http://news.usm.eduFederal Grant Helps USM Researchers Secure Tool to Study Ballistics Protectionhttp://news.usm.edu/article/federal-grant-helps-usm-researchers-secure-tool-study-ballistics-protection
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<a href="/author/van-arnold">Van Arnold</a> </div>
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<p>Groundbreaking research being conducted in polymer science labs at The University of Southern Mississippi could lead to enhanced protective wear for United States warfighters.</p>
<p>A $4.9 million grant provided by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has enabled the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials to acquire a state-of-the-art Xeuss 2.0 Small-Angle/Wide-Angle (SAXS/WAXS) scattering system. Developed by the Xenocs Company, the Xeuss 2.0 system enables high performance measurements that were previously limited to synchrotrons.</p>
<p>The grant is part of a $20 million, two-year collaboration between USM, Temple University, the University of North Texas, and the University of Southern California to develop ballistic protection applications.</p>
<p>USM polymer Professor Dr. Jason Azoulay serves as Co-Principal Investigator on the grant, titled: &ldquo;Advanced Ballistics Technology Material Development.&rdquo; Azoulay notes that the grant funding will allow rapid design, development, measurement, testing, modeling and prototyping for strategic areas of interest determined by ARL researchers.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Some of these would include armor packages, vehicle anti-blast countermeasures, lightweight armors, protective structures, and kinetic energy active protection to better protect the warfighter from injuries and trauma associated with various ballistic and blast loading events as compared to traditional energy absorption materials,&rdquo; said Azoulay.</p>
<p>Azoulay&rsquo;s research colleague Dr. Xiaodan Gu pointed out that USM is the only university in the Southeast region that has the Xeuss 2.0 system. He emphasized that this type of research and development serves to fortify the University&rsquo;s reputation as a global leader in polymer science.</p>
<p>&ldquo;With this type of technology we are able to view and study features that are 1/10,000<sup>th</sup> the size of a human hair,&rdquo; said Gu. &ldquo;This X-ray scattering system allows us to examine the architecture of polymers and respond accordingly. This is all necessary for us to design materials at the molecular level.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Dr. Olivia D. McNair, Manager of Pneumatic Materials Science and Engineering Programs, says that the SAXS/WAXS system offers a unique opportunity for USM researchers to explore the unseen connections between polymer nanostructure and performance.</p>
<p>&ldquo;By probing small scale phenomena such as crystal structure and domain spacing and how it changes under loads, it is possible to understand the underlying mechanisms responsible for energy absorption,&rdquo; said McNair.&nbsp;&ldquo;SAXS/WAXS analysis completes the picture of what are truly important factors when paired with more traditional polymer evaluative techniques.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Essentially, says McNair, researchers can begin to target or predict materials that will demonstrate the best performance for ballistic applications.</p>
<p>Dr. Jeffrey Wiggins, Director of the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials and Principal Investigator of the grant, says that the funding&rsquo;s implications stretch far beyond USM&rsquo;s research laboratories.</p>
<p>&ldquo;With grants of this nature, we are not only conducting transformative research, but also educating and training an entire generation of future scientists,&rdquo; said Wiggins. &ldquo;Our faculty and students are teaming up to study and develop materials that will have broad applications across the globe. And during the process, new and exciting curriculums will be developed in our polymer science/engineering programs.&rdquo;</p>
<p>To learn more about the School of Polymer Science and Engineering, call 601.266.4868 or visit: <a href="https://www.usm.edu/polymer">https://www.usm.edu/polymer</a></p>
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AcademicsScience and TechnologyResearchTue, 12 Dec 2017 15:53:40 +000016221 at http://news.usm.eduNFL Chief of Security to Speak at Safety and Security Summitshttp://news.usm.edu/article/nfl-chief-security-speak-safety-and-security-summits
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<a href="/author/alison-crumpton">Alison Crumpton</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) will bring together top safety and security industry leaders representing intercollegiate athletics as well as commercial sport and entertainment facilities during the week of January 15-19, 2018 at the Grande Lakes Orlando in Florida. &nbsp;</p>
<p>The National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Summit will take place on January 15-17 followed by the Commercial Sport and Entertainment Facilities Safety and Security Summit on January 17-19.</p>
<p>For the first time in Summit history, a joint meeting will occur on January 17 including attendees from both events. A highlight of the joint session will be a keynote by Cathy Lanier, Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer for the National Football League (NFL). Lanier&rsquo;s keynote is titled the &ldquo;State of the Union of Sports Safety and Security.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Part of Lanier&rsquo;s keynote will include a report on the sports safety and security industry from her perspective, as well as recommended safety and security measures she believes are necessary for the future.</p>
<p>Lanier was hired by the NFL in September 2016. In her role, she oversees all security operations for the League to include investigative affairs, compliance with the Federal government&rsquo;s SAFETY Act, and NFL venue, fan, player, staff and infrastructure security for all 32 clubs.</p>
<p>Prior to joining the League, Lanier spent 27 years with the Metropolitan Police Department, beginning in 1990. Lanier was also tapped as the first Commanding Officer of the Metropolitan Police Department&rsquo;s Office of Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism. After assuming the leadership of the Metropolitan Police Department in January of 2007, she was confirmed as the Chief of Police in April, 2007 and held that position for 10 years.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We are thrilled to have a strong leader like Cathy Lanier speak to our group and hear her unique perspective,&rdquo; said Dr. Lou Marciani, director of NCS4.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We invite you to come network and learn from your peers, participate in engaging discussions around critical issues and holistic best practices, and hear from some of the best in the industry.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The target audience for the National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Summit includes athletic administrators and staff from NCAA Division I, II, and III institutions, athletic conference admins, football bowl admins, NCAA representatives,&nbsp;campus/local/state law enforcement,&nbsp;facility managers, emergency managers, fire/hazmat and emergency medical/health services, and governmental representatives.</p>
<p>The target audience for the Commercial Sport and Entertainment Facilities Safety and Security Summit includes personnel responsible for event planning and operations,&nbsp;facility managers, local/state law enforcement, government officials, emergency managers, fire/hazmat and emergency medical/health services. Facilities that host events such as sports, motor cross, wrestling, concerts, etc.&nbsp;will be in attendance.</p>
<p>Attendees will have the opportunity to dive deeper into designated issues during break out sessions for the following topical areas: Event Day Safety and Security, Crowd Dynamics/Management, Emergency Action Planning, Staff Development and Performance, Facilities Design/Technology, and Risk/Threat Assessment.</p>
<p>A robust line up of speakers, panelists, and subject matter experts will complement each of the critical issues that will be discussed during each two and half day event. Some of the current safety and security issues in the program will include civil unrest, customer service, new facility construction, and event staff training and retention, among others.</p>
<p>For more information about the National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Summit, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ncs4.com/intercollegiate">http://www.ncs4.com/intercollegiate</a>. Limited seats are available. &nbsp;</p>
<p>For more information about the Commercial Sport and Entertainment Facilities Summit, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ncs4.com/professional">http://www.ncs4.com/professional</a>.&nbsp; Limited seats are available.&nbsp;</p>
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CommunityResearchTue, 05 Dec 2017 15:19:55 +000016126 at http://news.usm.eduUSM Graduate Students Make Presentations at National Marketing Conferencehttp://news.usm.edu/article/usm-graduate-students-make-presentations-national-marketing-conference
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<p>One current and one former graduate student in The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s Master of Business Administration program delivered presentations during the annual Society of Marketing Advances conference held earlier this month in Louisville, Ky.</p>
<p>Melanie Santiago, a native of Biloxi, Miss., completed the MBA program in August of this year. She presented research that began during her MBA studies titled, &ldquo;Online Brand Engagement.&rdquo; Santiago earned her undergraduate degree in graphic design at USM in 2016.</p>
<p>Alice Townsend, a native of Meridian, Miss., is currently pursuing her MBA at Southern Miss. She presented her honors thesis research titled, &ldquo;Green Marketing Effects in a Social Media Context.&rdquo; Townsend earned her undergraduate degree in International Management earlier this year.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Our students had a unique opportunity to present their undergraduate and MBA work at such a high level. With the guidance of marketing faculty, the students prepared their own submissions and presentations,&rdquo; said Dr. Jamye Foster, interim director of the USM School of Marketing. &ldquo;The students received very positive feedback from the audience which seemed to inspire more academic curiosity.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Foster attended the conference along with Holly Syrdal, assistant professor marketing; Joanne Cao, assistant professor of marketing; and Wei Wang, assistant professor of tourism.</p>
<p>The Society for Marketing Advances (SMA) is a premier marketing association that hosts an annual conference bringing together marketing educators and professionals from throughout the United States and abroad.</p>
<p>SMA is founded to foster service, research, and education in all phases of marketing and to encourage the exchange of ideas among members with similar interest.&nbsp;SMA endeavors to promote the growth of intellectual leadership in the field of marketing on the part of teachers, researchers, and students in universities and interest executive business and government.</p>
<p>To learn more about graduate programs in the USM College of Business, call 601.266.4659 or visit: <a href="https://www.usm.edu/business">https://www.usm.edu/business</a></p>
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AcademicsBusinessHometown NewsResearchStudentsMon, 27 Nov 2017 16:41:31 +000016066 at http://news.usm.eduRISE Program Helps Underserved Youth with Self-Esteem, Nutritionhttp://news.usm.edu/article/rise-program-helps-underserved-youth-self-esteem-nutrition
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<a href="/author/van-arnold">Van Arnold</a> </div>
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<p>A grant-funded program administered through The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s Department of Nutrition and Food Systems is helping underserved fifth-grade students in a tri-county area of the state improve their self-esteem and develop better eating habits.</p>
<p>The Raising Inspiration Sons of Excellence (RISE) pilot project is funded by a $231,986 grant from Families First for Mississippi. With oversight by USM faculty, the project also includes participation from Men in Black and Blue Community Health Advisors (CHAs), a group of trained lay volunteers, and members of the Mississippi Valley State University men&rsquo;s basketball team.</p>
<p>Dr. Jennifer Lemacks, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Systems at USM, serves as principal investigator for the project. She points out that the RISE educational program teaches youth the importance of eating properly, while enabling them to think smartly, and ultimately encouraging them to make choices that will have a positive impact on their health.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The State of Mississippi has repeatedly been at the top of the nation for rates of obesity, and the RISE program hopes to reduce obesity and obesity-related health issues,&rdquo; said Lemacks. &ldquo;In addition, this program has mentor and etiquette components to enhance students&rsquo; self-efficacy and social skills in various environments and circumstances of life.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The program calls for CHAs to serve as mentors, role models and nutrition coaches for the Mississippi Valley State basketball players &ndash; who in turn &ndash; take on the same roles for the young students. The CHAs recruited fifth-graders from Leflore, Carroll, and Montgomery counties in northwest Mississippi as program participants.</p>
<p>Children engage in one-hour RISE program sessions twice a month. Designed to be fun and interactive, the sessions highlight healthy habits and ways of thinking. Parents receive newsletters that provide updates on the program.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The program is based on the social cognitive theory, which advocates that increasing an individual&rsquo;s self-esteem and self-efficacy and social support to attain healthy diet behaviors will influence behavior change intention and ultimately, result in behavior change,&rdquo; said Lemacks. &ldquo;The research team will measure self-esteem, social support, self-efficacy, eating behaviors, and eating intentions.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Lemacks notes that the program&rsquo;s development team began outlining the blueprint in June with implementation beginning in September. She estimates that by December, at least half of the program will have been delivered.</p>
<p>To learn more about the program and the Department of Nutrition and Food Systems and USM, call 601.266.5377 or visit: <a href="https://www.usm.edu/nutrition">https://www.usm.edu/nutrition</a></p>
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AcademicsHealthResearchMon, 20 Nov 2017 16:40:59 +000016021 at http://news.usm.eduSafety and Security Summits To Address Mass Shooting in Las Vegashttp://news.usm.edu/article/safety-and-security-summits-address-mass-shooting-las-vegas
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<a href="/author/alison-crumpton">Alison Crumpton</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS<sup>4</sup>) will bring together top safety and security industry leaders representing intercollegiate athletics as well as commercial sport and entertainment facilities during the week of January 15-19, 2018 at the Grande Lakes Orlando in Florida. &nbsp;</p>
<p>The National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Summit will take place on January 15-17 followed by the Commercial Sport and Entertainment Facilities Safety and Security Summit on January 17-19.</p>
<p>For the first time in Summit history, a joint meeting will occur on January 17 including attendees from both events. A highlight of the joint session will be a keynote titled &ldquo;Five Hard Facts in the Wake of Las Vegas&rdquo; by Mac Segal, Head of Fixed Site and Hotel Consulting for AS Solution.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The Las Vegas shooting in October - as well as many other attacks in recent years - raise a host of difficult questions for all of us working in the security industry,&rdquo; says Segal.</p>
<p>He continues, &ldquo;How can we prevent, contain and control such unpredictable and vicious crimes? How do we mitigate the threat of terror without shutting down life as we know it?&rdquo;</p>
<p>In this presentation, security expert Segal argues that before jumping to quick conclusions and adjusting security tactics, we must face up to a handful of hard facts in a clear-eyed way. Only then will we be able to develop the tactical responses that are most likely to succeed.</p>
<p>The target audience for the National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Summit includes<strong> </strong>athletic administrators and staff from NCAA Division I, II, and III institutions, athletic conference admins, football bowl admins, NCAA representatives,&nbsp;campus/local/state law enforcement,&nbsp;facility managers, emergency managers, fire/hazmat and emergency medical/health services, and governmental representatives.</p>
<p>The target audience for the Commercial Sport and Entertainment Facilities Safety and Security Summit includes personnel responsible for event planning and operations,&nbsp;facility managers, local/state law enforcement, government officials, emergency managers, fire/hazmat and emergency medical/health services. Facilities that host events such as sports, motorcross, wrestling, concerts, etc.&nbsp;will be in attendance.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We invite you to come network and learn from your peers, participate in engaging discussions around critical issues and holistic best practices,&rdquo; said Dr. Lou Marciani, director of NCS<sup>4</sup>. &ldquo;A special focus this year will be on a National Exercise where attendees will go through a scenario to help prepare themselves for the aftermath of an incident. They will learn about response and recovery tactics and leave with pertinent ideas to take back to their own organizations.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Attendees will have the opportunity to dive deeper into designated issues during break out sessions for the following topical areas: Event Day Safety and Security, Crowd Dynamics/Management, Emergency Action Planning, Staff Development and Performance, Facilities Design/Technology, and Risk/Threat Assessment.</p>
<p>A robust line up of speakers, panelists, and subject matter experts will compliment each of the critical issues that will be discussed during each two and half day event. Some of the current safety and security issues in the program will include civil unrest, customer service, new facility construction, and event staff training and retention, among others.</p>
<p>For more information about the National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Summit, visit <a href="http://www.ncs4.com/intercollegiate">http://www.ncs4.com/intercollegiate</a>. Limited seats are available. &nbsp;</p>
<p>For more information about the Commercial Sport and Entertainment Facilities Summit, visit <a href="http://www.ncs4.com/professional">http://www.ncs4.com/professional</a>. Limited seats are available.&nbsp;</p>
CommunityResearchWed, 15 Nov 2017 15:08:50 +000015976 at http://news.usm.eduMcNair Scholars Program at USM Awarded Five-Year Renewalhttp://news.usm.edu/article/mcnair-scholars-program-usm-awarded-five-year-renewal
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<a href="/author/van-arnold">Van Arnold</a> </div>
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<p>For the past 17 years, approximately 425 graduate students have benefitted from the prestigious McNair Scholars Program at The University of Southern Mississippi. A recent five-year grant renewal worth $1.16 million ensures that those benefits will keep coming for students who might otherwise miss post-graduate opportunities.</p>
<p>USM program Director Carolyn Cawthon points out that the McNair grant competition is highly competitive with the U.S. Department of Education having received 309 eligible applications for the upcoming five-year funding band.&nbsp;USM was among the 161 schools selected, enabling the University to move forward with selecting its 17<sup>th</sup> McNair cohort.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This allows us to carry on the McNair mission of supporting higher-education aspirations for first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds, as well as students who are underrepresented in graduate education,&rdquo; said Cawthon. &ldquo;Kimbaya Brown, assistant director of the program, and I were privileged to have the support and assistance of our faculty mentors, University offices, the McNair graduate assistants, and the Graduate School staff in putting together a successful grant proposal.&rdquo;</p>
<p>At Southern Miss, McNair Scholars receive a $2,800 stipend to participate in the program where they engage in original research under the mentorship of Southern Miss faculty advisors and graduate students.</p>
<p>Students also receive up to a $1,400 summer housing allowance when accepted into the program along with tuition at the Summer Research Institute. At the conclusion of the summer, all McNair Scholars take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the cost of which is included in the Summer Research Institute.</p>
<p>Brown oversees the day-to-day operation of the program, while maintaining constant contact with the scholars to ensure their academic success. She stresses that the program&rsquo;s serves a student population that doesn&rsquo;t necessarily always possess the tools needed to excel on the college level.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It provides them with opportunities, resources and tools as undergraduates that are invaluable to their success in graduate school,&rdquo; said Brown. &ldquo;Many of these opportunities are not afforded to the majority of undergraduates, so this is definitely a program that students should take advantage of if they are seriously considering a graduate degree. And specifically a Ph.D.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In the fall, McNair Scholars present their research findings to peers and faculty at a local symposium and most publish their work in the program&#39;s journal. Also in the fall, McNair Scholars become eligible for additional funding to present their research at national scholarly conferences and to visit prospective graduate school programs across the U.S.</p>
<p>University of Southern Mississippi graduate student Mary Travis is convinced that her experience as a 2016 McNair Scholar has provided the catalyst she needs to complete her post-graduate education. A native of El Cajon, Calif., Davis is currently working toward her master&rsquo;s degree with a long-term goal of earning a doctorate in geography. A member of the Honors College, Travis received her undergraduate degree at USM.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The McNair scholarship gave me a competitive edge in applying to various graduate programs through the research I did during the program, the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) preparation, instruction on developing a proposal and writing a research paper,&rdquo; said Davis. &ldquo;Being a McNair Scholar is an honor and accomplishment recognized by colleges and universities nationwide.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Dr. Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Scholars Program) is named in honor of Dr. Ronald E. McNair, physicist and astronaut who perished on the Challenger space shuttle accident on January 28, 1986. The McNair Scholars Program is a federal TRIO program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. McNair participants are either first-generation college students with financial need, or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate education and have demonstrated strong academic potential.</p>
<p>To learn more about the McNair Scholars Program at USM, call 601.266.6544 or visit: <a href="https://www.usm.edu/federal-trio-programs/mcnair-scholars-program-about-program">https://www.usm.edu/federal-trio-programs/mcnair-scholars-program-about-program</a></p>
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AcademicsGraduate SchoolResearchFeaturedWed, 08 Nov 2017 14:51:54 +000015906 at http://news.usm.eduMississippi Public Universities Play Large Role in Aerospace Industryhttp://news.usm.edu/article/mississippi-public-universities-play-large-role-aerospace-industry
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<a href="/author/caron-blanton">Caron Blanton</a> </div>
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<p>From the Wright Brothers&rsquo; first flight in 1903 to putting man on the moon in 1969, the 20<sup>th</sup> Century was a remarkable time for the aerospace field. In the 21<sup>st</sup> Century, we have even greater opportunities for more incredible progress in flight and space. Through education, research and service, Mississippi Public Universities are at the leading edge of that progress. Seizing these opportunities takes teamwork of many, including government, military, business and academia.</p>
<p>Two Mississippi public universities have joined in the quest to make aircraft both lighter and safer. Southern Miss and Mississippi State University were selected by Boeing to lead research and development on composites. The new master agreement designates Southern Miss as the technology incubator of next generation composite material systems, working to accelerate research and development of next generation materials, including polymers and polymer matrix composites. In addition, Boeing has decided to relocate its stitched resin infused technology efforts to Mississippi State.</p>
<p>This is the newest chapter in the long and fruitful partnership that The University of Southern Mississippi has enjoyed a with The Boeing Company. Boeing currently has a research contract to utilize the assets of the Accelerator, the University&rsquo;s business incubator, and the 10-year partnership with Boeing has created internships and permanent job opportunities for students in the polymer program.</p>
<p>Boeing has provided 11 graduate student internships, while hiring five of the University&rsquo;s doctoral graduates. Additionally, Boeing has recognized the University&#39;s scientific contributions with Silver Level recognition of the prestigious Boeing Performance Excellence Award for four consecutive years (2013-2016).</p>
<p>Mississippi State University student researchers are unleashing the power of unmanned aircraft systems, leading the way in a revolution that&#39;s redefining agricultural science, opening doors for industry and creating new careers.</p>
<p>As a National Center of Excellence for the Federal Aviation Administration, Mississippi State is leading a research team comprising 20 research universities and more than 100 government and industry partners. This Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence is known as ASSURE, and the team&rsquo;s central purpose is to write the rulebook for unmanned aircraft.</p>
<p>Expanding UAS technology means billions of dollars in economic impact across the country along with thousands of high-tech jobs. Through experience gained from the ASSURE center&rsquo;s hands-on research and testing opportunities, MSU students are positioning themselves to fill these jobs.</p>
<p>Students at MSU&rsquo;s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory are collaborating with major corporations on research and development projects that are propelling the new industry forward. Safety, human-machine interface, maintenance standards, crash impacts &ndash; these are just a few of the considerations that must be explored and defined as students chart a flight plan for the commercial future of aerospace.</p>
<p>Through UAS technology, scientists are attempting to solve major world problems such as hunger by using unmanned aircraft to revolutionize farming techniques and improve crop yields through precision agriculture. Other applications include emergency response, biofuel and clean fuel technologies, law enforcement activities and environmental monitoring.</p>
<p>MSU has provided workspace, technical training and assistance with product development and research for numerous industries over the past decade. These efforts and Mississippi State researchers&rsquo; expertise have helped companies such as Airbus Helicopters, Aurora Flight Science, GE Aerospace and Stark Aerospace establish bases in Mississippi, bringing more than 700 high-tech jobs to the state.</p>
<p>The University of Mississippi&#39;s High-Speed Aeroacoustics Group (HSAG), a part of the National Center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA), operates two state-of-the-art aerospace research facilities: The Anechoic Jet Laboratory where supersonic jets are studied in an echo-free environment, and the Tri-Sonic Wind Tunnel Facility where flows up to Mach 5.0 have been used to study weapons release from supersonic aircraft, missile plume exhaust, and other high-speed flows.</p>
<p>Formed in 1998 to study missile interceptor dynamics for the Army&#39;s Space and Missile Defense Command, HSAG has over the past 20 years established partnerships with the Army, Navy, and Airforce, along with industry partners including GE Aviation, Northrop Grumman, Pratt &amp; Whitney, and Boeing and academic partners at U.T. Austin, Auburn U., Mississippi State University, and others. The industry-quality facilities and state-of-the-art diagnostics provide a unique experience for both graduate and undergraduate students and a center for collaborative aerospace research for partners within the state. For example, an MSU Aerospace team in collaboration with HSAG was recently awarded a 3-year NASA EPSCoR program to study aeroacoustics related to the launch of NASA&#39;s Space Launch System.</p>
<p>Preparing the next generation of aerospace students, Jackson State University hosts the STEM STARS Institute, an interdisciplinary science and mathematics institute for high school students. JSU works with partner NASA Stennis Center to offer the workshops with the goal of improving the quality of science and mathematics education in the Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi region. The Institute was formed in partnership with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Xavier University of Louisiana and higher education partners in various K-12 school districts.</p>
<p>Delta State University is preparing the next generation of aviation industry talent. The university&rsquo;s Department of Commercial Aviation is the state university system&rsquo;s only undergraduate and graduate aviation programs, preparing its students for a variety of opportunities in the aviation industry, including the airlines, aircraft manufacturing, airport management, air traffic control, and military aviation.</p>
<p>Graduates of the Delta State program may serve as members of flight crews, air traffic control specialists, and executives with supervisory and managerial responsibilities at all levels. The Department of Commercial Aviation offers a Bachelor of Commercial Aviation (BCA), with concentrations in Aviation Management and Flight Operations, and a Master of Commercial Aviation (MCA).</p>
<p><u>Additional information:</u></p>
<p><a href="https://www.olemiss.edu/depts/aeroacoustics/UM_Aeroacoustics/Tri-Sonic_Wind_Tunnel.html">https://www.olemiss.edu/depts/aeroacoustics/UM_Aeroacoustics/Tri-Sonic_Wind_Tunnel.html</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.olemiss.edu/depts/aeroacoustics/UM_Aeroacoustics/Anechoic_Jet_Laboratory.html" target="_blank">https://www.olemiss.edu/depts/aeroacoustics/UM_Aeroacoustics/Anechoic_Jet_Laboratory.html</a></p>
<p><a href="http://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-boeing-strengthen-partnership-new-master-agreement">http://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-boeing-strengthen-partnership-new-master-agreement</a></p>
<p><a href="http://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-polymer-program-wins-boeing-performance-excellence-award">http://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-polymer-program-wins-boeing-performance-excellence-award</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.weringtrue.msstate.edu/uas/index.html#about">http://www.weringtrue.msstate.edu/uas/index.html#about</a></p>
AcademicsEconomic DevelopmentScience and TechnologyCommunityResearchFeaturedWed, 08 Nov 2017 22:52:52 +000015921 at http://news.usm.eduMississippi Students Present at Regional Research Conferencehttp://news.usm.edu/article/mississippi-students-present-regional-research-conference
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<a href="/author/jamie-lott">Jamie Lott</a> </div>
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<p>Twelve students from across Mississippi presented their research at the 2017 Southeast Regional IDeA Conference in Morgantown, West Virginia earlier this month.</p>
<p>This biennial conference attracts hundreds of researchers from Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina and West Virginia. Researchers are able to present their research and network with others in their field.</p>
<p>The twelve Mississippi students all participated in a research experience through Mississippi IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE). Mississippi INBRE is a grant funded by the National Institutes of Health and housed at The University of Southern Mississippi.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I am truly grateful for the opportunity Mississippi INBRE Research Scholars Program game me,&rdquo; said Mississippi INBRE Scholar Joshua Hurssey. &ldquo;I was introduced to many people who are successful in their careers and made connections with mentors.&rdquo;</p>
<p>At this year&rsquo;s conference, three Mississippi students received awards for their research. Award winners included Mississippi Valley State University student, Hurssey, Millsaps College student, Reagan McGuffee, and Delta State University student, Kathryn Penton.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I most enjoyed the conversations I had with many of the attendees,&rdquo; said McGuffee. &ldquo;The students and professors were very open about their research and seemed very interested in our projects.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Mississippi INBRE, directed by Dr. Mohamed Elasri, associate dean and professor in The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s College of Science and Technology, is a statewide program that is supported by an award from the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences. Their mission is to enhance the biomedical foundation in Mississippi and to reach out to Mississippians in order to improve health throughout the state.</p>
<p>Mississippi INBRE seeks to engage talented researchers and students in biomedical research projects that will increase the state&rsquo;s research competitiveness as well as impact the health of citizens of Mississippi.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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AcademicsScience and TechnologyResearchMon, 23 Oct 2017 13:53:19 +000015746 at http://news.usm.eduPine Belt High School Students Attend Mole Day Celebration at USMhttp://news.usm.edu/article/pine-belt-high-school-students-attend-mole-day-celebration-usm
<p>High school students from across the Pine Belt participated in demonstrations, quizzes, and other activities in celebration of Mole Day on The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s Hattiesburg campus. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at USM sponsored the event.</p>
<p>The annual event gave USM instructors and researchers an opportunity to highlight the wonders of chemistry while also providing an inside look at the University&rsquo;s Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. Representatives from the Office of Admissions were also on hand to provide information and answer questions.</p>
<p>Celebrated annually on October 23 from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m., Mole Day commemorates Avogadro&#39;s Number (6.02 x 10<sup>23</sup>), which is a basic measuring unit in chemistry. Mole Day was created as a way to foster interest in chemistry. Schools throughout the United States and around the world celebrate Mole Day with various activities related to chemistry and/or moles.</p>
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AcademicsScience and TechnologyCommunityResearchMon, 23 Oct 2017 20:43:27 +000015761 at http://news.usm.eduSon Honors Mother, a 1920 USM Graduate, with Donation of Extensive Cookbook Collectionhttp://news.usm.edu/article/son-honors-mother-1920-usm-graduate-donation-extensive-cookbook-collection
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<a href="/author/david-tisdale">David Tisdale</a> </div>
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<p>A remarkable donation to a culinary research project at the University of Southern Mississippi has been made in honor of a 1920 alumna of the school.</p>
<p>Anderson Orr, a resident of Norfolk, Va. and native of Carthage, Miss. recently gave more than 2,500 cookbooks he has collected to the McCain Library and Archives at USM. The donation is a tribute to his mother, the late Lessie Katherine Amsler of Leakesville, Miss., who graduated from Southern Miss&nbsp;when it was known as&nbsp;Mississippi Normal College (MNC).</p>
<p>Since 2014, Jennifer Brannock, curator of Rare Books and Mississippiana for USM University Libraries Special Collections, has worked with Dr. Andrew Haley, an associate professor of history at the university, to collect and preserve cookbooks reflecting the culinary, social, and cultural history of Mississippi. Dr. Haley is director of the Mississippi Community Cookbook Project, and uses cookbooks as tools to research food, local communities, and those who created the cookbooks.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This donation from Anderson Orr expands the Mississippi Community Cookbook Project by looking at regional, national, and international cookbooks that influence local cooking,&rdquo; said Brannock. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re extremely fortunate to receive this collection, and proud to bring the cookbooks of Anderson and his mother back to Mississippi.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Orr is retired from Virginia Wesleyan University, where he was a member of the faculty for 32 years after earning his Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Virginia. Although cooking was always a passion for Orr, it was while pursuing his doctorate that he started entertaining for friends and began collecting cookbooks.</p>
<p>Orr learned about Dr. Haley&rsquo;s research project through a colleague and mutual friend, Dr. Kathy Merlock Jackson, who arranged for the two to get in touch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCain Library and Archives has built the largest collection of regional cookbooks in Mississippi, largely through donations from Mississippians, and the addition of the Orr Collection will make USM the place to study food in the state, Dr. Haley said.</p>
<p>&ldquo;There are first editions of major works (in the Orr donation) by James Beard, Julia Child, and Richard Olney, canonical works on French and American cuisine, especially Southern cooking, and a nearly complete collection of cookbooks on bread,&rdquo; Haley said. &ldquo;Historians of cooking will, of course, want to use this collection but so will chefs, nutritionists, and, honestly, anyone who loves to eat.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In reflecting on early inspirations for his interest in cooking, Orr&nbsp;noted&nbsp;his mother&#39;s subscription to House and Garden and Gourmet, and later, from&nbsp;reading renowned food writer M.F.K. Fisher&rsquo;s essays on the art of eating, and &ldquo;her sense that all communal meals were sacramental; although I didn&rsquo;t realize her importance to me until much later, rereading her, and there it was.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Growing up in a small town, you are used to learning from books how to do things, and I suppose I started buying cookbooks to help me toward becoming a good cook,&rdquo; Orr said.&nbsp; &ldquo;In the beginning the focus was French food, but toward the end, there was no focus at all, driven, I suppose, by a feeling that the next purchase would bring me mastery.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Among the titles in the collection that stand out for Orr include &ldquo;a rather battered copy in French of Mme. St. Ange&rdquo; that was in the library of an American ocean liner, &ldquo;found at Goodwill by a friend who gave it to me as a birthday surprise.&rdquo; Others, he said, include some small French cookbooks from a rare book dealer in France, which the English food writer Elizabeth David sent to him.</p>
<p>At MNC, Amsler was active in campus life, including as a member of the Honor Council, Mississippi Literary Society, and the YWCA, the latter for which she served as treasurer.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It makes me very happy to give this collection in memory of my mother, who would be very happy for it to be going to Mississippi, for which she had a great and unwavering love,&rdquo; Orr said. &ldquo;Although she spent her last years in Virginia, she never thought it really measured up.&rdquo;</p>
<p>For more information about Dr. Halley&rsquo;s research and the Mississippi Community Cookbook Project, visit <a href="http://mscommunitycookbooks.usm.edu/index.html;" title="http://mscommunitycookbooks.usm.edu/index.html;">http://mscommunitycookbooks.usm.edu/index.html;</a> or contact Brannock at <a href="mailto:jennifer.brannock@usm.edu">jennifer.brannock@usm.edu</a> or Dr. Haley at <a href="mailto:andrew.haley@usm.edu">andrew.haley@usm.edu</a>.</p>
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AcademicsArts and LettersLibrariesCommunityFaculty and StaffResearchTue, 03 Oct 2017 20:43:31 +0000w30171715511 at http://news.usm.eduSouthern Miss Set to Offer Second Hacking for Defense (H4D) Coursehttp://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-set-offer-second-hacking-defense-h4d-course
<p>University of Southern Mississippi students once again to have an opportunity to study issues and create solutions facing the country&rsquo;s national defense as part of a Hacking for Defense (H4D) course being offered for the second time during the Spring 2018 semester.</p>
<p>The new course is administered through the Interdisciplinary Studies for undergraduate and graduate students.</p>
<p>H4D gives students hands-on experience in understanding and working with the Defense (DOD), Homeland Security (DHS), and Intelligence Community (IC) on actual problems they currently confront. Students learn how to innovate at speed and learn how to deploy solutions using lean methods to solve national security problems.</p>
<p>The class combines that same rapid problem sourcing process developed on the battlefields in Afghanistan with the Lean LaunchPad Methodology for rapid customer learning and product development, the course was first taught at Stanford as the Lean LaunchPad course.</p>
<p>The focus of the H4D class has been on solving DOD and IC problems; USM will be addressing and finding dual-purpose solutions to address national security challeges. However, initial indications are that the approach is generalizable and can embrace the challenges faced by a range of organizations that measure their success, not in terms of revenue and profit, like most private sector companies, but rather by mission achievement and creating public value for their constituents.</p>
<p>There will be a series of social events called Brown Bag Lunches and H4D Socials hosted on both Campuses over the next few months. These include:</p>
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<li>Oct 2, 2017 Location: Hattiesburg, Bobby Chain, Room 331, Time: 5 p.m. &ndash; 6:30 p.m.</li>
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<li>Oct 5, 2017 Location: Gulf Park, Fleming Education CTR, Room: 102 Time: 5 p.m. &ndash; 6:30 p.m.</li>
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<li>Oct 23, 2017 Location: Hattiesburg, Bobby Chain Building RM 331,Time: 5 p.m. &ndash; 6:30 p.m.</li>
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<li>Nov 9, 2017, Location: Gulf Park, Fleming Education CTR, Room: 102 Time: 5 p.m. &ndash; 6:30 p.m.</li>
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<li>Nov 30, 2017, Location: Gulf Park, Fleming Education CTR, Room: 102 Time: 5 p.m. &ndash; 6:30 p.m.</li>
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<p>For more information concerning Hacking for Defense (H4D) visit <a href="http://www.hacking" title="www.hacking">www.hacking</a> 4defense.st.usm.edu, like the program on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/USMH4D/" title="https://www.facebook.com/USMH4D/">https://www.facebook.com/USMH4D/</a></p>
<p>For more information please contact Dan DeMott at <a href="mailto:dan.demott@usm.edu">dan.demott@usm.edu</a> or (601) 266-4207.</p>
ResearchMon, 02 Oct 2017 18:01:33 +000015501 at http://news.usm.eduSouthern Miss to Receive $1 million Toward Seaweed Researchhttp://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-receive-1-million-toward-seaweed-research
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<a href="/author/james-skrmetta">James Skrmetta</a> </div>
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<p>The Department of Energy (DOE) announced grants for The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) totaling $1 million toward researching the use of seaweed to produce energy.</p>
<p>DOE&rsquo;s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) approved $500,000 for research on an adjustable depth seaweed growth system called AdjustaDepth and an additional $500,000 to develop a seaweed ranching paddock.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We are excited to be a part of this effort to develop novel energy solutions utilizing ocean-based technologies in the Gulf of Mexico,&rdquo; said Dr. Gordon Cannon, USM&rsquo;s Vice President for Research. &ldquo;The Project dovetails nicely with the inauguration of USM&rsquo;s Ocean Engineering degree program and the projects as a whole certainly fits well in the wheelhouse of our School of Ocean Science and Engineering.&rdquo;</p>
<p>ARPA-E awarded the grants through the Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER) program, which explores ways to harness marine biomass for fuel and other uses.&nbsp;ARPA-E awarded USM its grants for &ldquo;Design &amp; Experimental Deployment of Integrated Cultivation and Harvesting Systems.&rdquo;</p>
<p>USM&rsquo;s AdjustaDepth team will develop a novel and robust seaweed growth system capable of precise depth positioning for maximizing productivity and avoidance of surface hazards such as weather or marine traffic. The system is anticipated to be suitable for diverse &ldquo;attached-growth&rdquo; seaweeds and will be scalable across tropical and temperate climate regions.</p>
<p>&ldquo;From Alaska to the Gulf Coast, the United States has offshore resources capable of producing enough seaweed to handle as much as 10 percent of our demand for transportation fuel,&rdquo; said ARPA-E Acting Director Eric Rohlfing. &ldquo;By focusing on the technological challenges to growing and harvesting macroalgae efficiently and cost-effectively, MARINER project teams are building the tools we need to fully put this resource to work, contributing to our energy future.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The primary features of AdjustaDepth are that it works in any climate/location with native seaweed; maintains precise depth control between optimum growing depth and storm avoidance depth; utilizes underwater glider operation; and provides an easy transition from manual to fully automated operation and harvesting. The structure&rsquo;s minute-to-minute optimizing depth for maximum light intensity and minimum wave impact allows the entire system to be much less expensive than structures that remain on or near the surface during storms.</p>
<p>Dr. Reg Blaylock, assistant director for Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Research Center, is the principal investigator for SeaweedPaddock, a floating<em>, </em>semi-autonomous, renewably powered, moveable enclosure for ranching of seaweed. The team includes research scientists and engineers from Ocean Foresters; the University of New Hampshire; Liquid Robotics; Texas A&amp;M University and numerous other researchers and advisors.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The SeaweedPaddock will encircle an area of ocean containing free-floating <em>Sargassum</em> mats with a floating SeaFence and use remotely operated tugs called Wavegliders to manage the enclosure and move it to avoid ships and storms or find areas with high nutrient levels.&nbsp; The system is designed to operate over the course of a year without returning to shore and can potentially produce over a hundred thousand tons of seaweed.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This ARPA-E project offers a unique opportunity to work with a great team of research scientists and engineers to advance aquaculture, aid biofuel production, create consumable products and provide innovative systems designs,&rdquo; said Dr. Kelly Lucas, director of the Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Research Center at USM. &ldquo;We are happy to be selected to continue developing the AdjustaDepth design and work with other selected teams to advance macroalgae production in the United States,&rdquo; Lucas said.</p>
AcademicsScience and TechnologyGulf CoastResearchFeaturedWed, 27 Sep 2017 16:05:59 +000015436 at http://news.usm.eduUSM to Host Cybersecurity Conference for Junior ROTC Studentshttp://news.usm.edu/article/usm-host-cybersecurity-conference-junior-rotc-students
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<a href="/author/van-arnold">Van Arnold</a> </div>
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<p>Junior ROTC cadets from the Jackson Public Schools and the Mobile County Public Schools will convene on The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s Hattiesburg campus Sept. 29-30 for a unique conference focused on cybersecurity and coding.</p>
<p>The event is part of the iD8 (Ideate. Innovate. Iterate) program at USM. Dr. Julie Cwikla, director of Creativity &amp; Innovation in STEM, serves as coordinator of the iD8 programs and events at USM.</p>
<p>This marks the second time that students from these area school systems will meet to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) content and challenges. The theme for this year&rsquo;s conference is &ldquo;Hacking for Defense.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;This iD8 event will give students a wonderful opportunity to learn some of&nbsp;the latest in computing technologies and to engage in intriguing cybersecurity exercises,&rdquo; said Dr. Andrew Sung, professor and director of the USM School of Computing.</p>
<p>Dan DeMott, technology director at USM, will serve as the opening speaker for the event. DeMott and Dr. Henry Jones, adjunct professor in the School of Computing, were co-instructors for the University&rsquo;s new Hacking for Defense course that began this summer.</p>
<p>The event will feature addresses from other USM faculty members as well as a tours of the School of Computing and an extended visit to Camp Shelby, a renowned U.S. Army base located just south of Hattiesburg.</p>
<p>&ldquo;A Hacking for Defense key element is getting outside the building and living a day in the boots of those who serve this great nation,&rdquo; said DeMott. &ldquo;Going to Camp Shelby will introduce these cadets to technology currently used today to prepare those who voluntarily serve in the military before they go in harm&rsquo;s way. Solving problems are understanding the true problem as seen by those who implement and use this technology.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Col. (Ret) Paul L. Willis, director of Army Instruction, Jackson Public Schools, noted that the experience would surely inspire some of cadets to seriously consider pursuing careers in technology or some other STEM field.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Just being on a university campus and exploring possible career options is directly aligned with our goal of ensuring our cadets are prepared for success at institutions of higher learning and/or in the workforce,&rdquo; said Willis. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Lt. Col. (Ret) Robert F. Barrow, director of Army Instruction, Mobile County Public School System, added: &ldquo;These STEM opportunities at Southern Miss extend the summer STEM Leadership Academy we have organized for the past three years in Mobile, with the goal of connecting classroom learning and STEM career paths.&nbsp;We are getting our cadets ready for the workforce of tomorrow whether that&#39;s military or civilian.&nbsp; Adding coding and cybersecurity to their STEM menu will only expand their view.&rdquo;</p>
<p>To learn more about the conference, visit: <a href="http://id8create.org/">http://id8create.org/</a></p>
AcademicsScience and TechnologyCommunityResearchFri, 22 Sep 2017 15:24:47 +000015406 at http://news.usm.eduInternational Experts Meet on Enhancing Sporting Events Security during NCS4/INTERPOL Training Coursehttp://news.usm.edu/article/international-experts-meet-enhancing-sporting-events-security-during-ncs4interpol-training-c
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<a href="/author/alison-crumpton">Alison Crumpton</a> </div>
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<p>From September 12-14, 2017, the NCS<sup>4</sup>, in collaboration with INTERPOL Project Stadia, delivered an all-new, 3-day Sports Security Executive Management course at Interpol General Secretariat in Lyon, France.</p>
<p>Major international sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup tournaments and Olympic Games present policing and security challenges for host countries. As well as taking place in large, complex and dispersed locations, such events can attract a range of criminal activities from disorder and violence to cyberattacks and even terrorism.</p>
<p>Host countries and event owners are faced with the challenge of providing a smooth-running and successful event while keeping event participants and spectators safe and secure. In this respect, exchanging best practices and enhancing the capabilities of law enforcement officials in preparing for and responding to large-scale incidents during major national and international sporting events is the focus of the senior management training course at INTERPOL&rsquo;s General Secretariat headquarters.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This course addresses several international priorities and capabilities for countries hosting major international sporting events,&rdquo; said Dr. Lou Marciani, NCS4 Director. &ldquo;Through training The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s NCS4 works closely with Project Stadia to support the overall INTERPOL mission to enhance police cooperation and capacity building for international sporting events.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Participants from 27 countries focused in particular on operational, tactical and strategic incident management planning, crowd and evacuation management, and crisis communications, with the Council of Europe, FIFA, and Qatar&rsquo;s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy attending the training as observers.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It is vital to exchange information, to look for best practices, to bring together international experts to discuss challenges ahead of the World Cup in Qatar. Collaboration in the field of safety and security is especially important,&rdquo; said Helmut Spahn, FIFA&rsquo;s Director of Security.</p>
<p>Established by INTERPOL and funded by Qatar, Project Stadia aims to create a centre of excellence and good practice platform to help INTERPOL member countries plan and undertake security and cybersecurity preparations for major sporting events.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Drawing on its global network of experts, Project Stadia delivers international conferences and training courses which bring together experts in the field of major international event policing and security to share their experiences and learn from their counterparts. Our partnerships with established national or international entities such as NCS4 are important in establishing best practices,&rdquo; said Falah Al Dosari, Senior Manager, Project Stadia.</p>
<p>Private entities offer dynamic insight into new technologies and solutions that can be used for the benefit of INTERPOL member countries and the law enforcement community. Eight strategic partners have made a commitment to help fund the Sports Security Executive Management course. The benefits for the strategic partners include access to a global network of key stakeholders in law enforcement and greater visibility of their contribution towards a safer world. The strategic partners participating in Project Stadia and the Sports Security Executive Management course include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Axis Communications</strong>&nbsp;- the market leader in network video, offers intelligent security solutions that enable a smarter, safer world. Axis is driving the industry by continually launching innovative network products based on an open platform - delivering high value to customers through a global partner network.</li>
<li><strong>Babel Street</strong>&nbsp;- a provider of advanced multi-lingual search and analytics software solutions.</li>
<li><strong>CEIA</strong>&nbsp;- a world leading manufacturing company specialized in the design, engineering and production of Metal Detectors and Electromagnetic Inspection Devices.</li>
<li><strong>Dell EMC</strong>&nbsp;- a part of Dell Technologies, enables organizations to modernize, automate and transform their data center using industry-leading converged infrastructure, servers, storage and data protection technologies.</li>
<li><strong>Johnson Controls&rsquo; Building Technologies &amp; Solutions</strong>&nbsp;- integrates every aspect of a building &ndash; whether security systems, energy management, fire suppression or HVACR &ndash; to ensure that we exceed customer expectations at all times.</li>
<li><strong>Microsoft</strong>&nbsp;- helps first responders improve the safety and security of communities through reliable, compliant, and scalable solutions.</li>
<li><strong>NEC Corporation of America (NEC)</strong>&nbsp;- a leading biometrics, IT and communications technology integrator providing solutions that improve the way people work, live and communicate.</li>
<li><strong>OT Morpho&nbsp;</strong>&ndash;provides multimodal biometric identity and security solutions to a broad array of markets including law enforcement, government services, border control, time and attendance solutions, and commercial security.</li>
</ul>
<p>For more information on the Sports Security Executive Management course, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncs4.com/train/ncs4-interpol">https://www.ncs4.com/train/ncs4-interpol</a>.</p>
<p>For more information on INTERPOL Project STADIA, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.interpol.int/INTERPOL-expertise/Stadia/Project-Stadia">https://www.interpol.int/INTERPOL-expertise/Stadia/Project-Stadia</a>.</p>
<p>For more information on the products/services offered by the strategic partners, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncs4.com/train/strategic-partners">https://www.ncs4.com/train/strategic-partners</a>.</p>
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AthleticsResearchThu, 14 Sep 2017 16:00:52 +000015326 at http://news.usm.eduGrand Opening of the National Sport Security Laboratory’s Research, Training and Operations Centerhttp://news.usm.edu/article/grand-opening-national-sport-security-laboratory-s-research-training-and-operations-center
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<p>On September 1<sup>st</sup>, The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Sport Security Research, Training and Operations Center at the National Sport Security Laboratory (NSSL). The new center helps bring to life NCS4&rsquo;s vision of being the world&rsquo;s leading academic research institution in addressing sport safety and security risks and threats.</p>
<p>The NSSL&rsquo;s Sport Security Research, Training, and Operations Center now connects to the sport facilities on The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s Hattiesburg campus including M.M. Roberts Football Stadium, Reed Green Coliseum, Peter Taylor Park baseball stadium, as well as remotely connected venues. This connectivity provides researchers and solution providers the opportunity to immerse themselves in a real-life sports safety and security environment.</p>
<p>&quot;This cutting-edge facility gives the University a world-class research, training and operation center,&quot; said Dr. Gordon Cannon, The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s Vice President for Research. &ldquo;A relatively new profession such as sports safety and security demands research and scholarship. Now our faculty and students have access to a world-wide sandbox to study real-world, sport-security challenges and issues.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Daniel Ward, director of the National Laboratory and Training Center, describes further capabilities of the new Sport Security Research, Training, and Operations Center. &ldquo;The center incorporates cutting-edge technology which provides the university with capabilities to gather, process, analyze, display and disseminate planning and operations data for research and training.&rdquo; He continues, &ldquo;As a living laboratory, it also provides students, academia, industry, and government a place to research and learn.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The addition of the Sport Security Research, Training, and Operations Center gives NCS4 the ability to achieve its mission to conduct innovative research, provide training, enhance professional development, and assess security solutions.&nbsp; &quot;We have an opportunity to groom our sport security thought leaders of tomorrow,&quot; said Dr. Lou Marciani, NCS4 Director. &ldquo;Connecting our athletic facilities as part of our laboratory provides amazing opportunities for our students. They will be able to work with professional, intercollegiate, interscholastic and marathon sports organizations and facilities to test theories, translate lessons learned and best practices into real-world solutions, and build the sports safety and security profession for the future.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The technology in the operation center was provided by generous support from charter donors including: Allegion, AVI-SPL, Dell EMC, Harman, Honeywell, Microsoft, NEC Display, and Red Hawk.</p>
<p>The ribbon cutting for the NSSL operation center took place on in Scianna Hall followed by a reception and scheduled tours of the center.</p>
<p>For more information about the NSSL, visit: <a href="https://www.ncs4.com/lab/evaluation-process" title="https://www.ncs4.com/lab/evaluation-process">https://www.ncs4.com/lab/evaluation-process</a></p>
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AthleticsResearchTue, 05 Sep 2017 18:04:57 +000015246 at http://news.usm.eduUSM Partners with Perciformes Group on Tripletail to Develop Tripletail Fish for Land-Based Hatcherieshttp://news.usm.edu/article/usm-partners-perciformes-group-tripletail-develop-tripletail-fish-land-based-hatcheries
<p>In a newly announced multi-year sponsored research agreement with Perciformes Group, the University of Southern Mississippi will develop methods to culture and breed Tripletail (scientific name Lobotes surinamensis) for commercial production in land-based aquaculture facilities.</p>
<p>Perciformes Group, a Texas-based company, focuses on developing facilities and protocols for breeding and supplying premium finfish for the seafood and restaurant markets. The company is planning to expand its diverse product offerings with Tripletail in an effort to meet demand in specific markets.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We are very excited about our collaboration with USM&rsquo;s Gulf Coast Research Lab. This hits close to home for me as it is my alma mater, so I know first-hand the quality of research that occurs there,&rdquo; said Chris Manley, Director of Research and Development at Perciformes. &ldquo;We are focused on our commitment to create a profitable, sustainable, and socially responsible aquaculture entity.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The research program will be led by Dr. Eric Saillant, Associate Professor in the School of Ocean Science and Technology at USM&rsquo;s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. Specifically, Saillant and his team will work toward the development of hatchery protocols for the control of captive reproduction and the culture of Tripletail to market size alongside developing genetic and genomic tools for domestication and breeding.</p>
<p>Saillant has previously worked with genetic programs and hatchery technologies for a variety of marine species including the Red Snapper, the Atlantic Croaker, the hybrid striped bass, and the European seabass.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We are poised to partner with the industry to address research that will advance sustainable aquaculture on land and in coastal and marine environments,&rdquo; said Dr. Kelly Lucas, Director of USM&rsquo;s Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center. &ldquo;With over 100,000 square feet of facility space dedicated to recirculating aquaculture and a schedule to double this space in 2018, our research faculty and staff are well positioned to help the industry continue to develop sustainable aquaculture products and practices.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Perciformes Group has already established itself in creating economical and sustainable aquaculture practices. Its sister company, Global Blue Technologies, has developed a massive recirculating shrimp farm in south Texas that utilizes a zero-discharge system. Currently, Perciformes is experiencing tremendous success in culturing sablefish (<em>Anoplopoma fimbria</em>), a highly sought after fish that commands a high market price.</p>
<p>The company&rsquo;s R&amp;D facility, located on the GBT campus in Texas, also utilizes recirculating aquaculture technology and has shown higher than expected survival rates and around 30 percent faster growth when compared to net pen culture. More importantly, Perciformes cultures fish the right way by being environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially responsible.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Due to our success with sablefish, Perciformes has secured a site in Eureka, California where we will build the first commercial facility which will produce 200,000 pounds of sablefish per year,&rdquo; said Dr. Timothy T. Aberson, President and CEO of Perciformes.</p>
<p>This facility will utilize the same zero-discharge recirculating design used in Texas. Dr. Aberson, who also serves as Investment Director for Perciformes and all its affiliates, stated Perciformes is currently seeking a joint venture partner by vetting interested parties that share our vision to create a sustainable, high quality product to fulfill market needs year round.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This is another excellent example of USM&rsquo;s collaborative efforts with industry partners to leverage the University&rsquo;s research expertise and infrastructure to enhance products and services that will be launched into the market and made available for the public benefit,&rdquo; said Chase Kasper, Assistant Vice President for Research, technology Transfer and Corporate Relations at USM. &ldquo;We are excited by Perciformes&rsquo; commitment to advance sustainable aquaculture technologies.&rdquo;</p>
<p>USM&rsquo;s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) is a part of USM&rsquo;s School of Ocean Science and Technology that focuses on marine and coastal research. Located in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, GCRL has approximately 200 faculty, researchers, graduate students, and support staff.</p>
<p>GCRL&rsquo;s Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center has worked with a variety of finfish and shellfish species including, but not limited to, shrimp, blue crab, red snapper, Atlantic croaker, speckled trout, cobia, and oysters.</p>
<p>For more information about the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, visit <a href="http://gcrl.usm.edu">http://gcrl.usm.edu</a></p>
<p>For more information about Perciformes Group, visit <a href="http://www.perciformesgroup.com/">http://www.perciformesgroup.com/</a></p>
<p>For more information about USM research, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usm.edu/research">http://www.usm.edu/research</a></p>
AcademicsScience and TechnologyGulf CoastResearchOTDThu, 24 Aug 2017 15:39:40 +000015131 at http://news.usm.edu